A Summer to Remember!
by Soniclover0028
Summary: When Sonic's parents win a free cruise at the beginning of summer, the hydrophobic hedgehog and his friends are forced to go to his uncle's ranch until they return. However, the girls are not looking forward to working all summer, and the boys aren't to happy about it either. Can Sonic convince them that it's not so bad? Or will his cousin ruin his vacation for all of them?
1. Prologue: We're Not in Knothole Anymore

_**Warning!**_

**These first few chapters are crappier than crap! It will pick up later, I promise! I apologize for any cheesiness that may occur DX *is shot***

* * *

_**A Summer to Remember!**_

_**Prologue**_

_**By: Soniclover28**_

"_Seriously _Mom?" Sonic whined. "It will be a good experience for you! Plus, your father and I are going on a cruise. And since you refused to go, because of your Hydrophobia, you're going to Uncle Trey's for the summer!" Bernadette shot back. Sonic sighed, and asked, "Can't I bring Tails?" "_Actually…_ I told all your friends' parents about our cruise, and invited them. So, they'll all be going!" Bernadette smiled. "Even Knuckles...?" The speedy hedgehog cocked an eyebrow. "Even Knuckles… And Blaze...and Silver, Rouge, Cream and Cheese, Sally, and Amy!" "Sally_ and_ Amy?!" Sonic exclaimed. "Yes, Sally and Amy are coming too." "Aw _man.._" He whined. "Go get packing, son, you're leaving tomorrow!" The cheery mother giggled.

The azure hedgehog sulked upstairs to his room, and started packing all of his necessities. "Toothbrush, toothpaste, Comb, extra clothes… What am I forgetting?" He pondered. He suddenly did a face palm, went to a dresser, opened a drawer, and started rummaging through it. He eventually found a rope necklace with a small, silver medallion hanging from it. On the medallion had the words, _"Keep on Runnin'"_ engraved in it. He untied it, put it around his neck, and retied it. It was almost like a choke necklace, and the little medallion fell right at his collarbone.

_The next day…_

Sonic was waiting outside of the airport for the rest of his friends to arrive. He soon saw a taxi pull up, and a pink hedgehog, a chipmunk, a rabbit, and a Choa climbed out. "Hey, Sonic!" They all smiled. "Hey, girls," he replied. The taxi driver then stepped out, and opened the trunk, only for an avalanche of luggage to bury him. "Help!" his muffled voice yelled. Sonic went over to the pile of suitcases, and lifted them up, one by one, stacking them on his right hand. "_Wow…_" Sally and Amy breathed, seeing how strong Sonic was. "Th-thank you, sir!" the taxi driver said, as he got up.

"No problem. Girls, don't you think you over packed, just a little bit?" Sonic chuckled, as he looked at the tower of luggage in his arms. "You can never have too many clothes!" they all laughed. Sonic laughed, as he spotted another taxi drive up. Out came Rouge, Knuckles, Silver and Blaze. "Hey, guys!" Sonic greeted, putting the girls' stuff down. "Why do we have to come on this stupid trip?! I have an emerald to protect!" Knuckles snapped rudely. "Don't worry, Knux, I'm sure your pet rock will be there when we get back. Plus, with Eggman in prison, I'm sure it won't be bothered," Sonic snickered.

"Hello, Sonic," Blaze greeted. "Heya, Blaze," The hedgehog waved at her, and greeted Silver while he was at it. "Well, we're all here! Let's go!" Sally exclaimed. "Wait a second… Where's Tails?" Sonic asked. As if on cue, they then heard a voice yell, "_Hey, guys!_" They all looked to see Tails, flying in the air with a huge suitcase. "Hey, Tails!" Sonic yelled back. "C'mon, we're going inside!" He told the fox, as he grabbed his suitcase, and headed inside. "Sonic… We-we can't… get all our st-stuff!" Amy panted, as she tried lifting her large suitcase. Sonic rolled his eyes, and stacked it all in his arms again. Once they all registered their tickets, they arrived at the security check.

"Please remove all metal objects, and place them on the treadmill," A worker instructed. Sonic removed his shoes and walked through the scanner. He froze when it started beeping. "Wait, what?" He exclaimed, as security men started to check him. They felt around his body, and got close to his gut. "Watch it, _bub,_" Sonic snapped. "Hold on… My rings! I forgot to leave them at home," Sonic realized, giving himself a face palm. He dug around in his quills, as he started pulling out ring after ring. They all fell to the ground with a _"Ding-da-ding-ding"_. "How many rings are in there?" Knuckles gaped. "About fifty… maybe a hundred…" Sonic laughed nervously. Once he finally cleaned them all out, he went through the scanner again, only for it to go off once more. "You gotta be kiddin' me... I cleaned out all of my rings," Sonic insisted.

"Please remove your necklace, sir," The worker told him. "Oh… I-I'd rather not…" Sonic replied, looking away. "Sir, unless you remove all metal objects, you cannot enter the plane…" the worker explained. Sonic sighed and reluctantly took his necklace off, and placed it on the treadmill. He then went through the scanner once more, and it didn't go off. "_Finally!_" He said, gathering his things again, and slipping his shoes back on. Sonic grabbed his necklace, tied it back on, and waited for his friends to go through the security check.

"Well, now that that's over… Let's get on the plane!" Sonic smiled, as he led the group to a certain boarding area. Once they all got on, Sonic sat by Tails and Knuckles. Blaze sat by Silver and Rouge, and Amy sat by Sally, Cream and Cheese. "Well, only eight hours until we get to your uncle's house," Tails said sarcastically. "I'm gonna go stir crazy… I already know it…" Sonic sighed, leaning against the back of his seat. "If you do, I could tell the workers to give you some ZzzQuil," Tails joked. "Oh, ha-ha, very funny," Sonic deadpanned. "Good idea, Tails," Knuckles snickered. Sonic rolled his eyes as he looked out of his window, and started to doze off. He was awakened by a tap on his shoulder. "_What?_" he snapped. "Um, they're serving lunch…" Tails told him. Sonic's head shot up, and he looked over to see a flight attendant with a notepad. "Got any chili dogs?" Sonic asked. "Yes, they'll be right out," she smiled, writing the order on the notepad before walking away.

They soon got their food and ate it quickly. Afterwards, the three boys were playing a game of Guess Who. "Does your person have hair?" Sonic asked. "No," Knuckles chuckled. Sonic looked around the plane from his seat, and once he spotted a bald man reading a book, he asked, "Him, reading the book?" "Yup," Knuckles sighed. "Okay, my turn! Sonic, is your person wearing red?" Tails asked. "Yep," Sonic nodded. "Hmm…" Tails looked around the plane, and to his dismay, saw a lot of people wearing red. "Okay, I pass…" He sighed, still scanning the people. "Alright, does your person have blonde hair?" Sonic asked. "Nope," Tails smiled. Sonic then looked around the plane, and noticed a lot of blonde haired people. He thought for a moment and snickered, "It's Blaze." "How'd you know?" Tails exclaimed. "Be _quiet_, I'm reading!" An old lady from behind them snapped.

Knuckles and Sonic tried not to laugh at Tails' bewildered face, but they ended up chuckling at him. "I didn't know that was a woman…" Tails whispered to them. The two boys busted out laughing, but they quickly tried to cover their mouths to block the noise. "I'm _serious!_" Tails whispered again. That only made them laugh harder, and they're faces were red by the time they could finally settle down. "Anyways… How'd you know it was Blaze?" Tails questioned. "I guessed…" He answered. "And you two _still_ haven't found my person…" Sonic smirked, leaning against his seat. Knuckles and Tails looked at each other, and then said in unison, "It's you…" "Correct-a-mundo…" Sonic replied arrogantly. Tails and Knuckles rolled their eyes, as they heard the loudspeaker announce, "Rider's Desert is our next stop; prepare for landing." "We're already here? Wow, time really flew by," Sonic exclaimed. "Literally…" Tails added.

"What?" Knuckles asked the fox. "Y'know, 'cause we're flying-? Oh, forget it…" He sighed. Once the plane landed, everyone grabbed their luggage and exited the plane. They soon were standing in the parking lot in the hot desert sun. "What are we waiting on? Vultures?" Knuckles asked, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We're waiting on my uncle… He's supposed to pick us up…" Sonic explained. About ten minutes passed by, and they were still waiting for a van to pull up. "Forget it! I know the way, anyways…" The hedgehog grunted, picking up his bag and heading off to the west. Everyone grabbed their stuff and followed him; all except Amy and Sally. "Uh, Sonic… Could you lend a hand?" Sally asked. The hedgehog stopped, sighed, and turned around. "Knuckles, you're helping me…" he said.

"Fine…" The echidna replied, as he picked up half the luggage. Sonic got the other half, and the others followed him up the road. After about ten minutes of walking, Amy asked, "What's that smell?" "That, Amy, is the smell, of my uncle's ranch," Sonic told her, smirking. "_Ranch..?_ You mean_.. like a farm?!_" She exclaimed. "Uh, yeah, didn't my mom tell you?" The hedgehog asked her. "I can't remember…" Amy sighed. Sonic chuckled, as the ranch came into view. "Wow, it's _huge!_" Tails exclaimed.

"You've only seen half of it…" Sonic told him. The ranch had four main buildings; they were all plank wood, as the roofs were dark brown tiles. "The biggest building is where we keep all the animals; mainly pigs, horses, and cows. The second biggest is the clinic for the animals. The third biggest is the storage area for all the food and stuff. That last one, that's the chicken coop," Sonic explained. "Where's the house?" Knuckles asked. "You mean the mansion? It's just a little ways from here…_What?_" Sonic asked them, seeing their amazed faces. "We're going to stay in a _mansion?!_" Amy squealed. "Unless, you wanna sleep with the pigs, yeah," Sonic nodded.

"_Awesome!_" Amy and Cream jumped up in the air. "Now, I gotta warn you… I have a few cousins here… and one of them… well, let's just say, I'm not his favorite person in the world…" Sonic told them. "Can we go to the mansion, now? This heat it _killing_ me!" Silver complained. "Well, if you think this is bad, just wait until my uncle finds out that he has_ 'extra help'_ now," Sonic chuckled. "You mean… We're going to have to _work_ _all summer?!_" Sally burst. "Well… kind of... yeah…" Sonic told them nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "_Sonic!_" they all fumed. "Oh, look! The mansion's just up ahead!" Sonic said quickly, changing the subject. When they arrived, everyone but Sonic was amazed at the size of the home. It had three stories; a black roof, and white walls. Sonic knocked on the door, and waited until a red hedgehog answered it.

"Hey, Star! Good to see ya again!" Sonic greeted. "_Sonic!_" The red hedgehog exclaimed, tackling the hedgehog to the ground. "Who's this?!" Amy asked, obviously jealous. "This is my cousin, Star. If she had blue fur, she would be my duplicate," Sonic smiled. "Heya! Name's Star, what's yall's?" the red hedgehog asked. She had bangs that drooped over her right eye, a scar on the same eye, freckles on her face, red and brown shoes, a cowgirl hat, white gloves, and energetic brown eyes. "Well, I'm Tails! Sonic's best friend!" Tails introduced. Star cocked a disbelieving eyebrow. "Right... A kid with two tails is the Hero of Mobuis' best friend... Okay..." Star nodded slowly, earning herself a glare from Sonic.

"Who're the prissy girls back 'er?" Star asked, ignoring Sonic's look. "Well, that's Blaze, Rouge, Cream, Amy and Sally," Sonic introduced. "And the scrawny princesses over there?" Star then pointed to the last two of the group. "Uh- That's Knuckles and Silver…" "What did she just call me?" Knuckles growled. "I called you a princess; deal with it," Star replied, rolling her eyes. "You don't know who you're messing with, kid!" Knuckles snapped. "_Yeah_, I kinda do! You're one o' those_ 'big tough'_ guys that think they're stronger than me, just 'cause ah'm twelve!" Star smirked. "You're _twelve?_" Amy exclaimed. "Sure am!" The red hedgehog nodded. "You're big for a twelve year old," Sally added. "I sure hope you're talkin' 'bout muscle," Star snapped. "Yes, we mean muscle and height!" Sally told her quickly. "Okay… Anyways, let's go inside! Momma's 'bout to make dinner!" Star invited, as she lead them inside.

"Ya'll need help with yer bags?" Star asked, seeing Amy and Sally strain to pull all their luggage. Star picked them up, one by one, and stacked them on her right hand. Then, she carried them inside the mansion. "Wow… and she's only twelve…" Sally breathed. "Like I said, she could be a duplicate of me! Oh, just you wait 'till ya see Uncle Trey!" Sonic laughed.


	2. Chapter 1: Nitty Gritty

_**A Summer to Remember!**_

_**Chapter 1**_

_**By: Soniclover28**_

Once everyone stepped inside the house, another hedgehog came and tackled Sonic to the ground. "_Sonic!_ I missed you!" She cried. "H-hey... Layla!" Sonic gasped, trying to get out of her death hug. "Another cousin of yours?" Knuckles asked. "Yup, this one's name is Layla. She just turned six," Sonic explained. "You remembered my birthday! Oh I love you _so_ much!" Layla exclaimed, squeezing him harder. Layla was a fuchsia hedgehog with a pale muzzle, and bright green eyes. She wore a blue top with a heart on it, shorts, and green flip flops.

"C-could y-you let me g-go, n-now..?! I-I can't breathe!" Sonic gasped. "_No!_" Layla smiled. "Okay, th-then!" Sonic smirked, as he started to tickle her. "Ah! _St-stop it!_" She laughed, as she jumped off of him. "Where's everyone else?" Sonic asked. "Oh, they're just checking on Blue Jay," Layla explained. "_'Blue Jay'_? Who's that?" Amy asked. "Why? What's wrong with Blue Jay?" Sonic questioned, ignoring Amy's question. "He's been really sick, and mom and dad said he needs to take a nap…" Layla told him. "Sonic, who's Blue Jay?" Amy asked again. "Blue Jay… he's my… he's my horse…" Sonic explained subconsciously. "Are you okay?" Sally asked him.

"Layla, help them settle in, I gotta check on Blue Jay!" The blue hedgehog exclaimed, running out the door. "Okay!" Layla called, waving goodbye. "C'mon, we have a lot of rooms, but you'll have to sleep in pairs," she explained, leading them up a big staircase. The walls of the Mansion were white with wood flooring. Pictures were hanging everywhere, including some of Sonic. "Hey, is that Sonic? He looks so young!" Amy pointed to a picture of a small blue hedgehog riding a small black horse with a white streak on its face. "Yeah, I think he was about five in that picture… Oh, and that horse is Blue Jay," Layla explained.

"Oh, they both look really small… How old is the horse in that picture?" Knuckles asked. "Same age as Sonic! They were born on the same day, and they've always been really close," Layla replied. "Oh, no wonder Sonic just took off…" Sally noted. "Yeah… If Blue Jay died… I'd hate to see what Sonic would do…" The little hedgehog said. "What do you mean?" Silver spoke up. Layla stopped and turned around to face them. "One time, Blue Jay got really, _really_ sick, and he had to go to an emergency animal hospital. But not like the one we have here… When Sonic found out about it, Aunt Bernadette said that he wouldn't do anything but stay in his room… He wouldn't eat, he would barley get something to drink, and he turned away everyone who tried to help him… But, Blue Jay eventually got better, and so did Sonic!" Layla told them.

"Wow… Sonic must really care about him," Tails said. "Yeah… and Star really cares about Sonic, so when one gets sick, they kind of all do," Layla explained. They eventually came to the top floor, and Layla told them to pair up, and pick any room they wanted. Amy paired up with Cream along with Cheese, Knuckles paired up with Silver, Sally paired up with Blaze, Tails called Sonic, and Rouge got a room to herself. "Go make yourselves comfortable! Dinner will be ready in about an hour!" Layla called, running back downstairs.

_Later that night…_

Everyone had unpacked, and they were all downstairs in the living room; all except Sonic, who was still in the barn with Blue Jay. He was in his horse's stable, and he was sitting on the ground, letting the black horse lay his head on the hedgehog's lap. Sonic stroked the horse's mane, as he saw how dull it looked. "You're gonna be okay, Blue Jay… You're gonna be okay…" he whispered. Sonic wasn't usually one to worry, but he couldn't bear to part with his beloved horse.

"Sonic, are you comin' to eat dinner, son?" Came a rough voice. Sonic looked at a hedgehog with dark blue fur, green eyes, very tan arms, belly, and muzzle, a black cowboy hat, and orange shoes. "I'm not hungry, Uncle Trey…" Sonic replied. "C'mon, don't be like 'at! Your friends are waitin' on ya! C'mon, Blue Jay will be fine; a vet's comin' to look at 'im tomorra'," Trey explained. Sonic sighed, and gently moved Blue Jay's head, as he carefully got up. He opened the gate to the stable, stepped out, and closed it again. "'Atta boy…" Trey smiled, as he put an arm around his nephew. They walked back to the house, and Sonic was surprised to smell his favorite food. "Aunt Janet made chilidogs?"His mouth started drooling.

"She made 'em just fer ya!" Trey chuckled. "_Awesome!_" Sonic did a fist pump, as he entered the house. He went into the dining room to see everyone already seated, with a plate of chilidogs in front of them. "Hey guys," Sonic said. "Hey Sonic," they all greeted. Sonic took a seat between Tails and Star, and looked around the table to see two other hedgehogs there. "Hey Aunt Janet, heya Clayton," he greeted. Aunt Janet had long brown quills that were pulled up in a ponytail, green eyes, a green top and a blue skirt. "Hello, Sonic, it's good to see you again!" She greeted. The hedgehog sitting beside her had black fur, and ice blue eyes, he also had tan belly fur, a tan muzzle, and tan arms. "Hmph…" He grunted, taking a bite of his chili dog.

"Well, what're y'all waitin' on? Dig in!" Trey exclaimed. Everyone started eating, and Sonic's friends got to know his family better. "Wow, Sonic wasn't kidding when he said you looked like him," Amy gaped, looking between Sonic and Trey. "Ha-ha, we get that a lot," Trey smiled, "People always think Sonic's _my_ son instead of Clayton." Clayton glared and took another bite of his meal. "Hey, Sonic…" Tails whispered. "Yeah?" Tails leaned over in his ear and whispered, "Is Clayton the guy you said didn't like you?" Sonic nodded, and glanced at the black hedgehog. After dinner, everyone got to their rooms to get ready for bed.

_The next morning…_

_(Tails' P.O.V.)_

I was sleeping very well until something loud woke me up. I bolted upright, as my ears pricked to the sound of a bell. I looked over towards Sonic's bed, but was surprised to see that he wasn't there. I tiredly slipped my shoes on, went to the bathroom to wash up, and went downstairs. I looked out the window to see that it was still dark outside, and I sighed. "What gives?! The _sun_ isn't even up yet!" I heard Knuckles' voice behind me, and chuckled a bit. All my friends eventually came downstairs, but Sonic was still nowhere in sight.

We all jumped as someone burst through the door and shouted, "_Good mornin'_!" We soon realized it was Star, and relaxed. "Why are we up so _early?!_ I _need_ my beauty sleep!" Rouge complained. "There's lot's o' work to be done! Papa told me to give you all something ta' do!" Star explained. "Oh… Okay… Hey have you seen Sonic, Star?" I asked. "Well… yeah… He's in the barn with Blue Jay again… he's a bit worse…" She sighed. "Oh… Could you take us to him?" Amy asked. "Sorry, Papa told me you have to do your jobs first! Okay, Princess, you get to help heard the cattle," Star said, pointing to Knuckles. "_Stop. Calling. Me. **Princess…**_" Knuckles growled. "Whatever you say, Rapunzel…" The red hedgehog replied.

"Okay, you two… Shelly and …uh… Matilda? You guys get to feed the goats…" Star explained nervously. "_Matilda?! _My name is_ Amy!_" The pink hedgehog burst. "Uh, sorry…" "And my name isn't Shelly, it's Sally…" The chipmunk told her. I chuckled as Star apologized to her, too. "Anyways… You, you and you can help feed the pigs," Star said, pointing to Rouge, Blaze and Silver. "_What?_" Rouge glared. "Would you rather clean up after the cows?" Star smirked. "No, uh- the pigs are fine!" Rouge told her quickly. "Okay, and you three can help groom the horses," Star said, pointing to Cream, cheese and I. I actually don't mind that job, it could be fun!

"Now, red head, follow me and I'll take you out to the pasture," Star dismissed, walking out the door. "I'm not gonna get used to her…" Knuckles muttered, following her. "Well, c'mon Cream!" I said, heading to the giant barn. Once we arrived, I was amazed to see how much space was inside of it. A supply room, an office, the stables and a few other rooms were in there, also. "Well, c'mon!" I said, skipping into the entrance to the stables. "But Tails, we don't really know how to groom a horse!" Cream exclaimed. "I could teach you." I turned around to see Sonic, leaning casually against a wall with his arms crossed.

_(Third person perspective)_

"Really? You don't have a job to do?" Tails asked. "I have to give all the horses some exercise, but first we have to check on them," Sonic explained. "Okay!" They both nodded. "C'mere, and grab a brush," he invited. They did so as Sonic taught them every detail about grooming a horse; he even explained each horse's favorite spot to be stroked. Once they finished the first few, Sonic turned Tails and Cream loose, and watched as they went from stable to stable. He was about to leave, when he saw Tails walk up to a certain horse's stable… _Blue Jay's_ stable. He quickly ran in front of him. "Uh, Sonic?" "You are _never_ to go into this one…" Sonic told him. Tails' eyes widened at the sudden outburst, and he took a glance at the name plate. Once he realized it said _'Blue Jay'_, he nodded nervously, and went to another stable.

After a second of regret, Sonic glanced at his horse, and sighed. Hopefully, he would get better, and hopefully, Sonic could cope without his horse, if he didn't make it. But he was overreacting, surely? Maybe it was just some kind of cold or something…? His thoughts were interrupted when a kind voice asked, "Are you Trey Rider?" Sonic turned his head to see a mint green hedgehog with blue eyes. "Uh, no, but I'm his nephew, and you are?" He asked. "Oh, I'm Dr. Julia, and I was called to have an appointment with Blue Jay," the hedgehog explained. "Ah, okay, the name's Sonic, and his stable is actually right here. You can go in, if you like, I'll go get Uncle Trey," Sonic explained as he prepared to take off. "Wait, Sonic_ the_ Hedgehog? The one who finally brought peace to Mobius by defeating Dr. Eggman?" Dr. Julia gasped. "Uh, yeah…" "_Amazing!_ My family and I are extremely grateful for all your dedication to our planet! I'll tell you what, this examination is free of charge!" She told him. "Uh- thanks… but I just want my horse to get better…" He replied awkwardly.

"Oh, right! I'm sorry! I'll get right to work!" The veterinarian said, going into Blue Jay's stable.

* * *

Trey walked into the house in search of his nephew. He found him on the couch, staring at the high ceiling. "Hey, I got some good news!" he said. Sonic looked at him lazily and asked, "What is it?" "Blue Jay's gonna be just fine! The doctor said he should be runnin' around by tomarra'!" He explained. Sonic bolted upright at this news, and gave his uncle a big smile, "_Really?!_" "Why would I lie to ya, son?" Trey laughed. "Awesome!" Sonic pumped his fist, and jumped off of the couch. "Where are ya goin', now?" "To see Blue Jay, of course!" "Uh, son, he's asleep right now…" "Like I care!" Sonic retorted, running out the door. "That's my nephew, alright…" Trey chuckled, as he went to his own room to wash up.

While Sonic was running in the darkness of the night, he rammed into something, and he was flung back a few feet. "_'Ey!_ Watch were ya run, hedgehog!" He heard a voice growl. Sonic squinted his eyes to make out the shape of his cousin, Clayton, picking himself off the ground. "Heh, sorry…" Sonic laughed nervously, getting up. "Oh, by the way… I caught one 'a yer friends groomin' _my_ horse!" Clayton told him. "Oh, you mean Buck? Sorry, I'll tell them not to next time…" Sonic replied. "Well, nice talkin' to ya, Clayton, but I gotta run!" Sonic smirked, taking off again.

_(Tails' P.O.V.)_

I woke up to a loud bell again, and sighed. I got up, went to the bathroom and did my business before going downstairs. I was surprised to see my friends down there before me, but they didn't look too happy. "What is it, guys?" I asked. "We're worried about Sonic; he hasn't said hardly anything since he found out about Blue Jay…" Sally explained. "No, Sally, _you're_ worried about him. I couldn't care less… I'm just tired…" Knuckles snapped. "_Good mornin'_!" Star suddenly burst through the door, and we all jumped again.

"Hello Star…" I sighed. "Heya! Okay, you all get new jobs today! Princess, you're gonna feed the pigs with Tails," Star explained. "_Stop calling me that!_" Knuckles burst. "I can call ya whatever the heck I want! Now get a move on, Cinderella!" She retorted, pointing outside. Knuckles growled as he stormed off. I chuckled, as I listened to the other jobs being given. "You, and you… Can ya handle the goats?" Star asked, pointing to Silver, Cream and Cheese. "Sure!" They said at the same time. "Now then, you and you get to groom the horses," Star explained, pointing to Sally, Blaze and Rouge. "Alright," Sally and Blaze nodded. Rouge just sighed, and walked out the door. "Alright, then that leaves, you- uh… Betty?" Star stuttered, looking at Amy. "My. Name. Is. _Amy!_" She burst. "Heh, sorry!" Star said quickly.

_(Sally's P.O.V.)_

I made my way to the barn to start my job, when I realized I didn't really know _how_ to groom a horse… "Uh, do you know how to groom a horse, guys?" I asked. "Actually, I do. At my castle, the groomers allows me to take some time on my horse," Blaze explained. "Really? Do you know how to wash them, too?" I questioned. "Unfortunately, no. My father doesn't want me getting dirty," Blaze told her. "At least she knows how to use a brush…" Rouge chimed in. "I still can't believe that Sonic is making us stay _here_ for the summer, of all places… I don't see a jewel in sight!" She continued. "Rouge, at least it's better than sitting around bored all the time!" I snapped. "I guess…"

We soon arrived at the stables, and we all started looking at the different variety of horses. "We're going to be here a while…" Rouge sighed. I walked around a bit, but stopped as I heard soft snoring, and turned my head to see a black horse with a white streak down its face, resting his head on a certain blue hedgehog's lap. They were both asleep, and Sonic was leaning against the wall with his head flopped to the side. I chuckled and called his name softly. His ear twitched, but he didn't rouse, so I went up to the stable door and called his name again.

"Huh?" His slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Oh… Hey Sally… Morning already?" He asked groggily. "Yeah… Were you here all night?" I asked. "Yeah… but I don't think I should've slept here… I have a bad crick in my neck, now…" He smirked, as he craned his neck around, making it pop. He gently moved the horse's head off of his lap, and stood up, stretching his legs. "We have to groom the horses today," I told him. "I thought so," He chuckled, as he made his way out of the horse's stable. Sonic took a glance at the horse he'd just left, and smiled. "Is that Blue Jay?" I asked. "Yup… he's supposed be fully recovered by lunch…" Sonic explained. "Oh… What was wrong with him, in the first place?" I was almost scared to ask. "I don't know, and I don't care. As long as he's okay, I'm happy... Anyways, you better start on your job, I gotta give the horses some exercise once your finished," he explained.

"Right… Talk to you later…" I said, walking off. I glanced back to see him take off, probably going for a run, or heading to eat breakfast. We eventually finished our duty, and headed back to the mansion for lunch. We all ate sandwiches, and were given the rest of the day off. I went into my room, and decided to take a nap to catch up on sleep. I was having a nice dream until a loud sound woke me up…

The sound of someone screaming…

* * *

**Me: Ack! It's still terrible DX... It'll pick up in the next chapter or so... maybe the next two chapters... But y'know... And if you're reading this far, I salute you for your courage against cheesiness... *salutes* **


	3. Chapter 2: Exhaustion

_**A Summer to Remember!**_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**By: Soniclover28**_

_(Sally's P.O.V.)_

I quickly got out of my bed, and ran outside. I looked around and pricked my ears to hear the yelling again. Was that… _Knuckles?_ I ran around the barn and to a fenced off area with nothing but dirt in it. I spotted a horse bucking and rearing up frantically, as if it were trying to shake something off of him. That's when I saw Knuckles clutching desperately to the reins of the spooked horse, and I calmed down a bit, knowing someone other than me could handle it. I ran up to the fence to watch, and saw a blue streak suddenly wiz by me. Sonic. He took the horse's reins from Knuckles' hands, sending the echidna flying off of the horse. "_Aahh!_" He yelled, before getting a mouthful of dirt. I pricked my ears to hear Sonic soothing the horse and stroking its muzzle gently. "Easy, girl, easy. It's alright. You're okay, Donna, you're okay," He told the horse gently. The horse suddenly pressed its head against Sonic's, and I saw the hedgehog smile. "Good girl…" He said sweetly.

I looked closely at the horse and stared in awe at its beauty. It was a white horse with splashes of dusty brown all over it. It had a sandy mane and a golden ring with a feather pierced in its right ear. I noticed that all of the horses in the stalls had a feather on their ear, each a different color. I'll have to ask Sonic what they mean. My attention was grabbed by Sonic again, when he ruffled the horse's front part of her mane, and told her, "Why don't you go find Star? I'm sure she'll want to go for a ride soon." The horse gave a neigh of agreement and trotted off and out of the gates, snorting at Knuckles as she passed him.

I climbed over the sturdy fence and jogged over to Sonic. "Sonic, that was- that was _amazing!_" I exclaimed. He blushed a bit and replied, "Well, I've been doing for a while, is all…" "What was that thing's problem?!" Knuckles suddenly sputtered, grimacing from the awful taste in his mouth. I suddenly heard Sonic burst in laughter, and I looked to what he was pointing to and chuckled myself. Knuckles' face was now a dark brown. That pile of droppings was a great target for him. "Kn-knuckles, you're face it-" "Yeah, I know! You think I can't smell it?!" Knuckles snapped. Sonic's face suddenly grew serious, and he walked up to the echidna, kneeling down in front of him. "Where did you get those boots?" He asked sternly. His sudden change of mood made me uncomfortable for a moment. "Uh, Clayton gave 'em to me," Knuckles told him. I heard Sonic growl and question him further. "Why were you riding Star's horse without permission?" "How do you know if I asked permission-" "Because Star never lets anyone ride her horse without her there, unless it's an emergency." Sonic interrupted, "Those boots have spurs on them, did you kick Donna?" "The horse? Yeah, once… But Clayton's the one that said I could." Sonic shook his head in disapproval and stood up. "Don't use spurs on my—I mean _our_—horses," Sonic told him.

_(Sonic's P.O.V.)_

_Clayton…_ I should've known… Of course he'd take this chance to make my friends look bad. I jumped when I suddenly heard a voice scream, "_**Who used spurs on mah horse?!**_" Uh, oh… "How did she find out already?!" Knuckles asked me. "Star knows her horse better than this ranch… If one thing's outta place, she'll be the first one to know about it…" I explained. I saw fear creep into Knuckles' eyes when we heard the rapid pounding of hooves on the ground. I then saw Star on top of her horse, holding onto her mane. Her face was lit with rage, and I actually felt bad for Knuckles. I quickly jumped in front of the echidna, and Donna skidded to a stop. "Move outta the way, _'hog_! That there echidna gots spurs on 'is boots! He hurt mah horse!" Star snarled. "He's probably never even rode a horse, let alone know that spurs are seriously offensive to us," I said that so Knuckles wouldn't use those boots again, "Clayton gave them to him. He probably wanted Knuckles to look bad, like he does our other cousins and friends."

Star gave a snort, but hopped off her horse and stomped up to Knuckles, pushing me aside. "Listen here, _princess…_" Miraculously, Star leaned down and grasped Knuckles' throat, lifting him off the ground. "If I _ever_ see yee' on mah horse with spurs again… Sonic here ain't gonna be able to save ya…" She hissed. Then, she released him, and sulked off with her horse right behind her. Once she was gone I chuckled and said, "She's a keeper!" "Sh-she almost killed me!" Knuckles blurted. "You should have enough sense not to use spurs on our horses!" I snapped, getting irritated. "_I didn't know!_" Knuckles cried. "_Well, you do now!_" I burst, ears against my head. Okay, I'll admit it, I'm being a_ little_ harsh, but Star knows as well as I that we're _very _sensitive about our horses. I sighed and told Knuckles to go wash his face off, leaving me alone with Sally.

"So, how long has it been since the last time you've been here?" Sally asked me casually. "When my grandpa died two years ago, we had to come to his funeral," I told her. "Oh, I'm sorry…" "Nah, don't be, he was really old," I smiled at her and we made our way into the stables. "So, I was wondering… could you teach me how to ride?" Sally suddenly asked me. "Sure." "Really?" "Yup." "Thanks!" Sally suddenly threw her arms around me, and I happily returned the hug. Once we broke apart, I heard a gruff noise, and I reflexively shot over to Blue Jay's stall. My heart leaped when I saw him trying to stand, and I hopped over the gate. "Hey there, buddy. How're ya feelin'?" I asked him, stroking his muzzle. He gave me a nudge with his giant head, and I laughed softly.

"Wow, Blue Jay looks bigger than when he was lying down," I suddenly heard Sally gape. "Heh, he's the best horse around. Ain't ya, Blue Jay?" I then started patting his side, and I realized he felt more built despite his recent illness. "Hey, how about we go for a ride?" I suddenly asked. Blue Jay turned his head to me and nuzzled my ear; that was his way of saying_ "I love you,"_ and, _"Yes, yes I do."_ "Alright then!" I hopped back over the gate, went to the back of the stalls, and grabbed a brown shoulder bag. Then, I raced to the other side of the stalls and grabbed apples, carrots, sugar cubes, and four cookies as I stuffed them in the bag. I jogged back to Blue Jay, feeling I forgot something, but slung the strap over my shoulder anyways, and hopped on top of my horse. I then held out my hand to Sally and asked, "Wanna go for a ride?" "S-sure," she replied bashfully. "I don't use a saddle, I hold on to his mane. You hold on to me," I instructed. "Where?" "Around my waist, and tell me if we get to fast," I replied. "Got it."

Then, I felt Sally's arms wrap around my torso, and I started Blue Jay on a trot. We made our way out of the barn and passed the mansion and to a wide open plain of sand and rocks. "Ready?" "Ready…" "_Ha!_" I shouted. Hearing the command, Blue Jay shot off, hooves galloping over the plain. Sally was clutching onto me for what seemed to be her life, and I inwardly chuckled. We're not even going at a jog for Blue Jay yet. Aw, man! I forgot my cowboy hat Uncle Trey gave me! I'll have to make sure I wear it tomorrow. "S-sonic! T-Too fast! _T-too fast!_" Sally suddenly shouted. "Alright, alright, sorry. Whoa, boy," I told Blue Jay, tugging on his mane. The black horse came to a slow trot, and I could tell he was getting bored. "Hey, Blue Jay? Think you remember the path to our 'Secret Place'?" I asked. Blue Jay answered by giving a neigh and stomping his hoof on the ground. "Alright, then, let's go," I ordered.

After about thirty minutes of talking and trotting, we came to a stop beside a giant rock with shade on one side of it. Oh no. _Water._ I'd forgotten to pack water… "Uh, Sally? I forgot to bring water, we gotta go back," I told the chipmunk, feeling stupid. "Oh… It's okay, I was starting to sweat." "Pfft, _you?_ Look at _me!_" I then stood up revealing my almost damp body from my sweat. We laughed and got back on Blue Jay. "Looks like we're goin' back home, buddy. Sorry, but we ain't got any water, we'll come back another time," I told the horse. I then made a_ 'click-click'_ with my mouth, and set Blue Jay on a trot once again.

When we finally got back to the ranch I took Blue Jay back to the stalls, filled all of the horses' buckets with oats and barley, filled a different bucket with water, and replaced Blue Jay's horseshoes with new ones. "Phew…" I suddenly heard the familiar ring of the dinner bell and Aunt Janet singing, "_Dinner's ready!_" I raced into the mansion, washed up a bit, and went back downstairs to see all of my friends. They all looked really tired, especially Amy. "I got flung off of a horse today…" She sighed. "I did too," Knuckles chimed in. "You smell bad," Rouge suddenly told him. "And I stepped in pig poop…" Tails whined. I rolled my eyes playfully and told them, "C'mon, it's time for dinner and then you can all get a good night's rest. Tomorrow's Sunday, and only Clayton, Uncle Trey, and I will be doing the work." "Really? Why?" Sally asked. "'Cause it's the Sabbath day. The 'men' do all the work, and since I'm part of the family, I gotta work too." "Sabbath day?" "It's a day of worship and rest for Christians, people who believe in Jesus Christ. It's a very big deal around here. Although we'll be at work, the rest of you will go to church later that evening, so wear something nice. And girls, you have to wear a dress to church… Sorry Sally…" I explained. "I-It's alright. I packed some just in case…" She replied, although I could tell she was dreading the thought of wearing it.

We then went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Aunt Janet and Layla gave everyone a plate occupied with a cheeseburger and french-fries. Although it wasn't as tasty as a chili dog, I wolfed it down quickly and waited for dessert. "I made chocolate pie!" Aunt Janet sang, as she cut everyone a slice. "Thanks, Aunt Janet," I told her, as I took the first bite.

It was the first night I'd gotten to sleep in the spare room with Tails, and I fell to sleep almost instantly. Unfortunately, and prod on my back woke me up. I raised my face from the pillow, feeling a wet spot as I did so, and sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Hm…?" I had to squint to make out the figure of Tails, and I asked, "What's wrong, buddy? You should be asleep…" "S-Sonic… I-I wanna go home…" The fox told me. "Tails…" I sighed. "I-I'm not homesick, really. I just don't like not being around my lab… There's nothing here for me to experiment with, and it's driving me crazy!" He exclaimed. "Tails, I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to get used to it… Maybe you could take a dirt sample or something..." I told him groggily, lying back down again, "After all, we're gonna be here all summer." "Fine…" He sighed, getting back in bed.

As soon as I closed my eyes, I was out cold for the rest of the night.

* * *

I woke the next morning feeling pretty well. I looked out the window to see a few rays of the early sun coming over the horizon. It was a sight to see. The way the different rays of reds, yellows, oranges and purples reflected one another in the sand made it look like an ocean of the sun. I looked across the room to see Tails, snuggled in his blankets, fast asleep. He was getting well-deserved rest. I got out of bed, washed up in the bathroom, and went downstairs to find the smell of bacon in the air.

"Mornin', Uncle Trey," I greeted, walking into the rather large kitchen. The darker blue hedgehog turned from his skillet and smiled at me. "Mornin', Sonic," Trey replied. "Hungry?" "You know it." "Ha-ha, thought so. Here ya' go." He then handed me a plate loaded with bacon, eggs, pancakes and sausage. "Gee, thanks," I told him, licking my lips. After I ate, I went back up to my room and put my medallion on, and then I popped a black cowboy hat on my head. I went back downstairs and outside and finally arrived at the stalls. I took care of all the horses, which included bathing them, feeding them, cleaning their horseshoes, grooming them, exercising them, and finally, cleaning out their stalls.

I was sweating by noon when I finally finished with the horses, and moved on to the chicken coop. I snatched all the eggs from the birds' nests and fed them afterwards. From there, I went to the pig pens and put the leftovers from last night into their slop pile. I was drenched in sweat by the time lunch came around, but I didn't bother taking a shower, since I'd just get dirty again. I went into the nice, cool mansion and sat down at the table with a sweaty Clayton and Trey sitting on either side of me. "I finished with the horses, pigs, and chickens," I told Uncle Trey. "Good, you'll be takin' a look at the green house after this. Then I want ya to go ahead and take care of the goats. After that, meet me at sunset out by the pasture to herd some of the cattle. We have a buyer comin' in tommorra' for a few cows," Trey explained. "Right," I said, taking the last bite of my sandwich, "I'll get started now."

While I was exiting the house, I heard someone call my name, and I turned around to see all my friends walking towards me. "Hey guys, how was church?" I asked. "It was pretty cool-" "It was so_ boring!_ I almost fell asleep! _Twice_!" Knuckles interrupted, earning a knock on the head from Star. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile. "Well, I got work to do, so I'll see ya' 'round." I then bolted off before anyone could object, but as soon as they were out of sight, I stopped and doubled over to catch my breath. This heat was taking its toll on me; I was practically melting in my fur! I put my nose up to my arm and made a disgusted face as I picked up a scent similar to a wet dog.

I wiped my forehead, smearing my fur sideways, and walked to the green house. Once I had weeded the plants, watered them, and measured the vegetables, I went to the goats. I fed them, watered them, and cleaned their cage quickly. Once I was finally done, I looked at the sky to see that it was growing reddish again. Sunset would be upon the skies in less than twenty minutes. I walked back to the mansion, exhausted, and plopped down on the couch. "Sonic? Is that you in there?" I heard someone ask. "Yeah… It's me," I panted. Aunt Janet then came into view, and I saw her gasp. "Sonic, you're completely exhausted! What did Trey have you do?" She questioned, tying her thick brown hair into a pony-tail. "Take care of the horses, pigs, goats, chickens and the green house," I explained.

Aunt Janet shook her head and said, "That's over half of the animals here. Go upstairs and rest, dear, you need it. I'll have one of the other boys take your job. Oh, what is your last task, anyways?" "Cattle," I told her, yawning. "Alright, dear, now you go get a good night's rest," Aunt Janet told me, helping me off the couch. "Thanks…" I replied. "Don't mention it, sweetheart."

I went upstairs and headed straight for the shower, and then to my room. I practically fell on my bed, not bothering to cover myself up, and I went to sleep upon impact with the pillow.

* * *

Much to my dismay, the sound of someone yelling made me jump out of my bed. I looked around frantically, mind still foggy with sleep, and saw Clayton standing at the doorway to my room. I turned and looked at the window behind me; I couldn't have been asleep for more than ten minutes. "You ain't gonna make me do the job that Papa assigned yee'!" The black hedgehog burst. "What?" "You git your tail out there and herd the _dang_ cattle!" He yelled. "Fine, fine, don't get you're panties in a knot!" I snapped. Before I knew it, he had me pinned to the wall, but I just stared at him coldly. "_What_ did you just say?" Clayton growled. "You heard me, yuppie girl," I spat, shoving him off of me. I shoulder checked him as I sulked passed him, and tiredly went outside to see Uncle Trey.

* * *

My eyes were utterly heavy, but I knew Trey wouldn't let me go back to bed until I finished the job. So, after about two hours, we finally finished with the cattle, and I stumbled into my room. I was dizzy with exhaustion, and the only thing that was racing through my mind was: _"Bed. Bed. Bed. Bed. Bed. Bed. Bed. Bed."_ I heard Tails say something to me across the room, but I couldn't make it out as I collapsed on my bed and finally got plummeted into darkness for the rest of the night.

* * *

**Me: Finally... I think we're past the cheesiest parts... phew...**


	4. Chapter 3: Heat Stroke

_**A Summer to Remember!**_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**By: Soniclover28**_

_(Sonic's P.O.V.)_

My eyelids slowly opened to see sunlight spilling through the window, shining brightly on my face. Wait a second… _sunlight?!_ I sat upwards, rubbing my encrusted eyes. I looked over at Tails' bed to see that he wasn't there, and I quickly got out of my own bed. My muscles ached, but I forced myself to take a shower and go downstairs. I went into the kitchen to see Aunt Janet cleaning up the table. She looked up at me upon hearing footsteps, and smiled. "You just missed lunch dear, what would you like?" She asked. "Missed lunch? What time is it?" I replied. "Well, almost one o'clock," Janet told me. "_One?!_ Oh, man, Trey's gonna be _ticked_!" I exclaimed. "Calm down dear, Trey and Clayton are still asleep. Everyone decided to let you all rest since you were so exhausted. Tails even told me that you were talking nonsense last night," she giggled. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, you told him something along the lines of riding ponies with golden sugar drops last night in the sky. Oh, and he wanted me to tell you that he wanted to see you when you woke up," Janet explained. "Thanks. Oh, um… Can I have a sandwich?" I asked sheepishly. "Of course, dear. Whole grain or white?"

* * *

After I finished eating, I made my way to the barn, where I found Tails and Knuckles grooming the horses. "Hey, guys," I greeted. "Hey Sonic," Tails smiled. The echidna and fox then walked over to me. "Didja get enough sleep?" Tails asked. "Heh heh, yeah… So, you guys need help?" "I think we can-" "Yes! Yes, we need help!" Tails interrupted. I cocked an eyebrow at him and said, "With what?" "Three of the horses here won't even let us come into their stalls," Tails explained, "C'mere I'll show ya." He led me to a stall with a brown horse in it. It had splashes of black covering most of it, and its dark brown mane was cut to a mow hawk look. It snorted at the sight of me, and I immediately knew who it was. "This here is Buck. It's Clayton's horse, he hates me," I simply said.

"Clayton would have a fit if he found out someone other than him groomed his horse… Anyways, what were the other ones?" I asked. Knuckles then led me to Donna's stable, and I laughed. "She just doesn't like you since you used spurs on her," I chuckled, reaching in her stall to pet her. "Okay, okay, moving on…" Knuckles then led me to the last horse. "I don't think I've ever seen this one…" I muttered. The horse was a very dark brown, and had black mostly on its rear. It had a black mane and tail, golden eyes and coal black hooves. I whistled as I examined it closer, but as I leaned in a little over the gate, it suddenly rammed into it, making me jump back in surprise.

"Feisty!" I chuckled, getting a challenging glint in my eye. The horse caught it and stomped its hoof on the ground defiantly. I smirked and walked closer to the gate. "You're not actually gonna _ride_ him, are you?" Tails asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Actually, I am," I replied, opening the stall door. The horse snorted and tried charging at me, but I jumped upwards and landed on its back, clutching its mane. "Ha-ha!" I laughed. I eventually got the horse outside, tugging its mane this way and that. The horse galloped faster and faster, spewing dust from under its hooves. I then saw the fence of the training area coming into view. "_Ha!_" I yelled, rising up a bit, the horse went faster and faster. Just a little bit more and… "_Ha!_" I jerked upward on the mane and the horse sprung over the wooden fence, but he didn't stop there. I kept him going in a large circle to keep him from jumping the fence again. If I could wear him down, he'd eventually stop.

The horse surprised me when he suddenly started bucking. "Whoa!" I clutched its mane harder, and hoped it wouldn't roll over. And of course... it rolled over… I let go of the horse's mane upon being body slammed. The breath was knocked out of me, and it took me a second to gather my senses again. I sat up gingerly, rubbing my head, and my eyes widened upon seeing the horse looming over me. "Uh… heh heh…" I smiled at it nervously, but sprinted away quickly and sprung over the fence. "_Hoo_, what a ride!" I exclaimed.

"Sonic!" I turned around to see Tails and Knuckles running towards me, "Are you okay?" "Yup," I replied, smiling. "That was crazy!" Tails exclaimed. "I know." "You could've hurt yourself!" "I know." "You're crazy!" "I know, right?" I laughed. "I see you found our new horse." I whipped around to see Uncle Trey standing with his arms crossed. "Uh, yeah. I figured I'd try to ride it," I explained. Trey shook his head, and hopped over the training arena fence. He slowly went up to the horse and tied a rope around its neck, just tight enough to stay on. "His name's Spike," Trey yelled, "Bought 'im yesterdee'." "Got it," I yelled back. "Well, Spike's gonna have to get used to me if he's gonna live here…" I chuckled. "Oh, boy…" Knuckles and Tails muttered.

"Well, I'm gonna go check up on everyone else," I said, walking towards the barn where the pigs were kept. I arrived to see Sally and Silver filling the pens with slop, making disgusted faces every once in a while. "'Sup, ladies?" I sneered playfully. "Oh, ha-ha very funny," Silver retorted. "Ya need some help?" I asked coolly, leaning on a wooden post. "Nah, I think we got it," Sally replied, wiping sweat off of her forehead. "You sure?" I smirked. "I'm sure, Sonic," Sally replied, giving me a suspicious look. I slowly bent down, reaching for the pile of pig dung next to me. "Wh-what're you doing?" Sally asked nervously, yet smiling. "Who, me? Don't you worry about me," I smiled evilly, putting a finger up to my mouth while I scooped up a handful of pig manure. I took aim, brought my hand back, and yelled, "_Fire in the hole!_"

_(Clayton's P.O.V.)_

"_Soooniiic!_" My ears pricked up in surprise when I heard my cousin's nickname. The voice sounded angry, as well as a bit girly. I jumped back just as a blue streak whizzed past me, and I could hear his laughter clearer than a rooster at dawn. I stood dumbfounded for a moment until that white hedgehog whizzed past me as well. But he was flying. _Flying?!_ Since when do hedgehogs fly? Man… I _really_ need to lay off the moonshine for a while…Wait a second… That's _it!_

_(Sonic's P.O.V.)_

"C'mon, Silver! You gotta admit it was funny!" I laughed. I was currently being held in place in a mid-running stance while Silver stomped up to me. "I'm covered in pig poop… _How is that funny?!_" Silver burst. "Oh, you should see your face! Aw, man, you reek!" I snickered. Silver suddenly put the most devious look on his face, and used his telekinesis to lift me into the air. "What're you doing, now?" I asked, not losing my smile the least bit. "Something I should've done when we first got here," He smirked.

The albino hedgehog suddenly turned on his heel and walked away… But he didn't take me with him. "Hey! Where are you goin'?! What about me?!" I yelled. "Enjoy the sun, Sonic! I'm taking a shower. You need a tan, anyways!" Silver retorted, not looking back. "_Me? I'm darker than you_!" I yelled. "_Tough!_" Silver spat, disappearing from view. I tried as hard as I could to break the field around me, but it was too strong, and I found myself sweating in a matter of minutes. This is _way_ past un-cool…

* * *

After a while, I could feel the heat at its peak, and I could see the drops of salty liquid hitting the dry and dusty ground. Sweat stung my eyes, and I was starting to grow dizzy of thirst and fever. I glanced up the best I could to see a vulture circling the area at a very high altitude. To my surprise, I eventually felt the amount of sweat I was producing go down, but I knew that this was a bad thing. I swear… when that sad excuse for a rat comes back, I'll-! "Sonic…?" My ear swiveled 'round to hear Amy's voice, and I inwardly panicked. "Uh, h-hey Amy…" I wheezed. Wow… My throat's really dry… "Why are you…?" She started, coming into view.

"I made Silver mad…" I smiled tiredly. "So he made you stay in this heat? You're burning up!" Amy told me, putting her hand on my cheek. "Yeah, well, after an hour or two, you get used to it…" I laughed dryly. "You've been out here for _how_ long?" The girl exclaimed. "About three hours, maybe four. I don't really know," I replied, twitching my ear to shoo a fly away. "You could get dehydrated in this weather!" She fretted, taking off her glove to wipe the few drops of sweat off of my face. "Can't really do anything about that…" I replied, finding that my focus was a little off. I blinked a few times to try and clear my head, but it was becoming foggy…"Sonic are you okay?" Amy asked, feeling my cheek again with her bare hand, "Your skin is dry and really, really hot… and you're face is turning red!"

"I-I'm fine," I insisted, closing my eyes upon impact with a wave of dizziness. "No, you're not!" Amy told me sternly, "I'm going to get help, I'll be right back!" And with that, she took off. My head soon started to throb with a headache, and by the time Amy had returned with Aunt Janet and Blaze, I was taking shallow, yet rapid, breaths. Janet ran up to me, placing a hand on my cheek and gasping. "Why is he out in the heat like this? Last time I checked, he couldn't fly!" She then turned urgently to Amy. "Silver did this! He has telekinesis!" Amy blurted nervously, "He's holding Sonic up like that because he got annoyed with him!"

"Go and find him, now! Tell 'im to git' his sorry tail _down here_!" Aunt Janet ordered. "Yes, Ma'am. Sonic, do you know where he is?" Blaze asked calmly. I thought for a moment, but couldn't seem to remember where the white hedgehog had gone. "N-no…" I replied dizzily, I then watched Blaze run towards the barn. "Amy, go to the house and fetch Trey! Tell 'im to help ya bring some ice packs down 'ere!" The brunette hedgehog told her. She nodded and sprinted off.

"Sonic, look at me, honey… Look at me," Aunt Janet told me, gently tapping my face to keep my eyes from closing. "You're gonna be okay, dear…" She soothed, "Just look at me…" I tried keeping my eyes trained on her, but they remained unfocused and I instinctively whimpered from the intense heat. "Shh, Sonic… You'll be okay…" Janet told me, her voice shaking a bit. My ears tilted forward to hear the heavy, yet quick, steps of my uncle racing towards me. Trey didn't have super speed, but boy, was he fast. "Move, Janet," The darker blue hedgehog ordered, gently pushing his wife aside. I felt something cool press against my face, and I sighed with what little relief it bought. I felt something that felt like a stick go into my ear, and when it was brought out I heard Amy gasp and whisper: "He's at one-hundred and five…"

"Where is 'at _dang_ hedgehog?!" Trey demanded in a gruff voice. "Right here!" Blaze's voice rang in my ears. She and Silver where added to the clutter of people around me, and I could see the white hedgehog's shock and guilt even through my hazy vision. "What're you waiting for, Silver?! _Put him down!_" Amy burst, grabbing him by the chest fur. Instantly, I was dropped three feet to the ground, and I grunted upon impact. I tried getting up on one knee, but I collapsed on my stomach, finding that this newfound position left my stomach feeling queasy. I was turned to my side as what little lunch I had left escaped from my mouth.

I was suddenly lifted again, but not by psychic energy this time. I was in the arms of my Uncle Trey, who was now running as hard as he could back to the mansion. As soon as we entered the air-conditioned house, Trey placed me on the couch and ran into the kitchen. He came back and put ice packs beneath my neck and back, on my forehead, in my under pits, and between my thighs. The older hedgehog muttered something about turning the thermostat all the way down, and he left me once more. I closed my eyes, feeling very faint, but I could hear the door open and close as my friends entered the mansion. I tiredly opened my eyes to see Amy holding back tears, Blaze biting her lip, and Silver still looking stunned. "S…S-silver…" I rasped. Said hedgehog's ears pricked and he came closer to me.

"I-I'm sorry…" I told him weakly. Silver looked at me, bewildered, and said softly, "No Sonic… _I'm_ sorry… It was wrong and stupid of me to do that to you… I never should've-" "I w-was the one who m-made you mad… B-But I'm j-just sayin'… y-you looked better with d-d-dung in your hair…" I smiled weakly when a small laugh escaped his mouth.

"Man, it's _so_ hot outside!" We all looked to see Knuckles and Tails walking through the door. "I'm practically melting through my- _what?_" Knuckles stopped when he saw everyone giving him a glare. "Sonic…? _Sonic!_" Tails suddenly exclaimed, coming over to me and kneeling to my level. I tried saying something, but my headache suddenly started to throb harder, and all that came out was a groan. "What's wrong with him?" Tails asked, turning to Trey, who was holding a wet sponge. He came over to me as well, removing the icepack on my head and gently rubbing the cold sponge on my forehead and face. "He's got heat stroke… You can thank ol' city boy here for that…" Trey growled. Feeling some of the water drip into my mouth, I tried swallowing it quickly, but ended up having a coughing fit.

"I'll get him some water," Janet offered, going into the kitchen. "Put some ibuprofen in it. He has a headache," Trey told her, "And something 'at'll make him sleep." "Of course," Janet called. "Aren't we supposed to get him to a hospital for this type of stuff?" Tails suddenly asked. "There ain't one 'round for about a hunnerd miles. Plus, we can do a better job here than the idiots up in Sand Blast City could," Trey answered, "Don't worry, he'll be okay… Sonic's a tough 'en." "You got that right! The guy survived the explosion at ol' Eggman's base," Knuckles chimed. "And alm-most d-died…" I rasped playfully, smiling slightly. "But you didn't, so don't say that!" Sally and Amy barked at the same time. They looked at each other, baffled that they had said the same thing, but started giggling.

"Here you are, dear," Aunt Janet then handed Trey two different pills and a bottle of water. "Sit up, Sonic," The hedgehog told me. I tried supporting myself up with my arms, but when I got halfway there, they buckled and I fell flat again. Knuckles then came to the arm of the couch and supported my back, lifting me up and tilting my head slightly upwards. Trey placed the pills in my mouth and quickly poured the water in with them. I swallowed it with haste, silently thanking Trey for the much needed nourishment. After drinking three fourths of the bottle, Knuckles slowly let me lay down again, and Aunt Janet slipped a pillow under my head. I looked to see Trey gingerly taking my shoes off and set them underneath the couch. "Th-thanks, g-guys…" I told them.

Trey nodded to me in response, and shooed the others away so that I could rest. "A-amy…" I called before she could leave. The hedgehog immediately turned and kneeled next to me. "Thank you…" I told her, "If it w-weren't for y-you I'd still b-be out there…" Amy suddenly hugged me, and said, "I'd eventually notice you were gone at some point, don'tcha think?" "Y-yeah… I-I guess you're… r-right…" I sighed, as a wave of drowsiness washed over me. "You need to rest, Sonic…" Amy whispered, pulling out of my hug, "I'll be right here until you clock out…" She started massaging my ears, and I smiled tiredly as my eyes drooped shut. "Thanks… _A-_my…"

I was asleep in a matter of seconds.

* * *

**Me: I'm sorry for making Knuckles a bit OOC... and Sonic... And Rouge... Y'know, I'm trying, right...? ^^; Anyways... This is the last chapter I had in inventory, so it might be a while before the next one is posted!**

**Special Thanks to TheIr0nF0RGE for encouraging me to post this! :D**


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